The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-09-03
THE WIDOW ROUNDS.
Her Skillful Strategy and It's Sue
cessful Results.

ats great misfortiu' to me, Cousin MI
randa, to have Becky Jane taken away just
now, right in the spring of the year, when
my plowin' and plantin' and fence buildin is
a-comin' on. If she had only hung out until
after my rush of work was over, shouldn't
have complained; but Becky Jane never did
have no calculation or forethought. To
think that she should drop off and leave me
with both pair of twins down with the
mumps, and everything in the house goin'
to destructionl o, dearl 1 really don't
know what l am goin' to dol" and Timothy
Gee groaned dismally.
"Do!" answered Cousin Miranda, sharp
ly. "Jest stop your whinin' and gruntin',
and huntyou up a smart, stirrin' woman, that
is caperble of dom all your work, besides
lookin' after the children. There are a
plenty of sech to be found"
Il don't know, Cousin Miranda" said
Timothy, dolefully, II guess it will be pesly
hard gettin' woman that will take Becky
James place in this ERE house. She was the
prudentest savingest of all my three com
panions that have preceded me to better
land. And she shall have her reward. I've
picked out bootiful tombstone OF marble
angel with soarin' wings, for her; and she
uCSdINtS IT, Jul DCChJ JduO! " LUIu
o, dear!"
''For goodness sake Timothy, do stop that
sniveling, or you will drive me crazy.
amt got no patience with man that will
make perfect scrub and slave of his wife,
and never allow her a cent she can call her
own. When Becky Jane died, she didn't
have decent dress to her back, or thing
in the house like other folks. l couldn't
even find knife with a handle to it, or
plate but what was cracked; and, now she
is dead and gone, l s'pose you are tryin to
ease your conscience by settin' up high
priced monument over her cold clay. o, l
just wish I had been in your wife's place,
Timothy Gee. If l wouldn't have learned
you a thing or twom and Cousin Miranda
paused from sheer lack of breath.
"Well do snum!n and Timothy opened
his little, ferret-lke eyes to their very
widest extent. "What dretful unfortint
man your husband must be. It's wonder
he's livin'l If had merried sech long
tongued female I should have been dead
years ago"
II amt sure but you would" snapped
Cousin Miranda. But you needn't trouble
yours If about me or mine. Think of your
self, and them poor, sufferin' children. I've
left my own home to come here and set
bnlIlSS W IlSubS, azure you brought house.
keeper, and give you until to- morrow night
to pervide sech person; then l start, bag
and baggage"
81 am sure | don't know where I'm goin'
to find the right kind of woman l
wouldn't hev leheaded, shiftless gal,
nor cacklin' old maid; and widders-pve
hearn tell that widders was unlucky. Ny
uncle Sam married wilder, and he died
the same year." and Timothy sighed mourn
fully.
well, as jest said, l will give you an
other day to look around in, and then shall
have to leave, anyway" And Miranda
went out of the room, closing the door care
fully behind her.
For a long time Timothy sat gazing dis
consolately out of the window. The pos
pect before him was not very agreeable
one. Hes
1T does seem as if am afflicted worse
than job" he muttered aloud. "For we
amt got no account Of Jobs bein left
widderer, or children havin' mumps in
them days; and what I've put up with from
that old cat of a Miranda, a-seein' her waste
and destroy, and"
''What is that you are sayin', Timothyl"
asked Miranda, suspiciously, as she came
suddenly into the room.
:
'nothin'. was jest a-sayin' to myself as
how that hoped it wouldn't storm to
morrer."
"Well, I've got some good news to tell
you. Miss Black was jest in here, and she
knows of a splendid housekeeper that's
lookin' for a place. The Wilder Rounds,
that lives in behind the mountain"
"a widder!" gasped Timothy.
"A likely, prudent woman; and, il you
are lucky enough to get her, you may thank
me, for never did see a man display so
little energy. She is visitin' up to Miss
Blacks this afternoon, and il you go up
quick, you can engage her before she goes
home. Now, do be spry."
"Spryw snarled Timothy. ''Doyou s'pose
man that has been slim all winter and
has got the rumatiz in both of his two legs
is agoin to fly round like spring pullet,
for epny wilder lvin'' Not by jugfullp
swell, if you amt the most aggrsvatin'est
mani l amt got no patience with sech
slow coach; but for the sake of them poor
children, am goin' to take this matter in
hand myself"
Hastily DOMINIC an old-fashioned purple
and-white quilted hood, the energetic Mi
randa sailed forth in search of house
keeper for Timothy. When she returned,
an hour later, she was accompanied by the
Widow Rounds, tall, thin woman, with
an aggressive nose, and swapping black
eyes.
"Here's the wilder, Timothy" said
Cousin Miranda. by way of introduction.
'Ive told her Jest how you are situated,
and sne thinks she can come and stay a
spell. Aud row, while you two are layin'
your plans, III 20 out and feed the pig, for
he might squeal till doomsday before
Timothy would think Of him"